Reviews

'Kakilambe' (the name of a traditional dance in Mali and Guinea, but the term is also used to refer to various African percussion rhythms) is both Takana Zion's most African and eclectic (rock, pop, dance, electro.

Just when you thought you'd heard it all, we're happy to serve you some Ghanaian disco! The late Ghanaian multi-instrumentalist Kofi Kwarko 'Kiki' Gyan (… 2004) was a member of Ghanaian super formation Osibisa before disappearing into London's nightlife circuit as a session musician.

With 'Radio Rum' Antwerp based band Wahwahsda delivers an excellent successor for their debut effort 'Shiva Regal'.

August 6th, the official date of the anniversary of Jamaica's independence is already several months behind us, but the Jamaicans will continue to celebrate their independence throughout the rest of the year.

We already announced 'Strength To Survive', the new album by Soldiers Of Jah Army, at the time of the release of their 'Mentality' EP, several months ago.

African back-to-basics bands fiddling around with self-made instruments are seemingly becoming a trend.

With this double compilation album full of duets by the grande dame of Jamaican music, Marcia Griffiths, Donovan Germain has somewhat taken the easy road, but if you have this kind of material at your disposal, you better use it.

'Aduna' ("the world") is first and foremost a musical encounter between Senegalese Fula musician Malick Pathé Sow and his Mandingo compatriot Bao Sissoko.

'Che Guava's Rickshaw Diaries', the second album by London collective Lokkhi Terra, is one of the best and most original releases we heard this year.

Yours truly was quite impressed by 'Wakukaya' (roughly translated "my people" in Swahili), an album resulting from the cooperation of Tanzanian singer-songwriter Ashimba with a number of Finnish musicians led by Teho Majamäki, resulting in a fresh afro-pop sound with songs in which Ashimba, alternating between Nyamwezi, Swahili and Sukuma, broaches a variety of topics like daily life, the beauty of nature and the importance of certain traditional values in Tanzania.